Hempfield volleyball blanks Latrobe to move to 5-1 in Section 3

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 | 9:54 PM

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Halfway through the high school volleyball season, the Hempfield boys team is rolling along at a high rate of efficiency.

The Spartans shrugged off a season-opening loss to Penn-Trafford by winning every match since, including a tidy 3-0 decision against host Latrobe on Tuesday night.

“The thing I think I like most about this team is these guys just don't get rattled,” Hempfield coach John Howell said. “They keep their composure, no matter whether they're up five points or down five points.”

Senior Logan Horwatt produced 14 kills to lead Hempfield, ranked No. 6 in WPIAL Class AAA. Junior Will Kuhns added 11, and sophomore Gavin White had 10 for the Spartans (6-1, 5-1 Section 3), who prevailed by scores of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-20.

“We all get along really well,” said Horwatt, a 6-foot-4 setter/opposite hitter, who is attracting attention mainly from Division II schools. “That makes it easy if we get in a hole. We don't panic.”

Howell said the Spartans “are just fun to coach.”

“The kids work hard, they love the game and they're all close friends,” he said.

At times, Latrobe coach Drew Vosefski sat seemingly motionless as he looked on. It was a sign of frustration, but he couldn't do much to change the outcome.

“They are very good,” Vosefski said of the Spartans, “but we're a good team, too. We didn't lose any of these games by more than five points. We have the talent and ability, but a lot of times we just commit too many unforced errors. And that was the case, pretty much, tonight.”

No. 9 Latrobe (4-4, 4-3) was led by junior Reed Fenton's 10 kills. Fenton, a 6-4 outside hitter who also is a standout for the Wildcats basketball team, added four aces, two blocks and seven digs.

“He could play Division I in volleyball,” Vosefski said, though acknowledging Fenton's first love appears to be basketball. “He's very good at both sports.”

After winning the first two games in relatively ho-hum fashion, Hempfield held off a spirited charge by Latrobe in the third.

The Wildcats scored the first point and engaged in a back-and-forth affair throughout.

Hempfield was clinging to a 20-19 lead before running off three consecutive points during a stretch that included a series of impressive volleys. The Spartans outscored Latrobe, 3-1, the rest of the way to take the match in three games.

“We just didn't perform well enough tonight,” Vosefski said. “We'll get back in the gym and keep working at it. One thing about this group, my guys will never give up.”

In the first game, Hempfield led for nearly the entire time. Latrobe held a brief advantage on the strength of Fenton's powerful serves, but the Wildcats faltered as Hempfield rallied with the game's final five points to break a 20-20 deadlock.

The Spartans controlled Latrobe in the second game, fighting off a late Wildcats run that saw them close within 21-18.

“We kept the pressure on them all night,” Howell said. “We've got a lot of young players, and it's been hard to get them to understand what we want from them. But they've responded. We're being more of a cohesive team. Much more, and that's exactly what we want.”

Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hempfield Area, Latrobe